Tourism at distilleries and liqueur factories

Experiential tourism linked to the world of distilling was the focus of the conference “Tourism in distilleries and liqueur factories: challenges and opportunities for hospitality”, held at the Cantine Astoria in Refrontolo (Treviso).

The event, organised by DISTILLO in collaboration with SIMEI and Unione Italiana Vini and under the patronage of the Consorzio Nazionale Grappa, is aimed at industry operators, producers, professionals and the specialist press, with the aim of opening a concrete discussion on the as yet untapped potential of a rapidly growing sector

It began with an up-to-date overview of food and wine tourism in Italy and worldwide, with a specific focus on visits to distilleries and liqueur producers: a segment that is still in its infancy compared to the well-established wine tourism sector, but one capable of meeting a demand increasingly oriented towards authentic and immersive experiences.

The market was presented by Fabio Ciarla, editor-in-chief of Corriere Vinicolo, whilst Filippo Polegato, CEO of Astoria Wines and vice-president of UIV, focused on winery tourism, exploring models and opportunities.

Ample space was also devoted to the regional dimension, thanks to a discussion on how to incorporate distilleries and liqueur producers into integrated tourist itineraries, capable of highlighting the unique characteristics of the local areas and building synergies with other local stakeholders.

Speakers on the topic included

• Alessandro Marzadro (Trentino Grappa Protection Institute)
• Davide Mansouri (Assodistil)
• Lorenzo Marolo (Consortium for the Protection of Piedmont Grappa and Barolo Grappa)
• Paolo Brunello (Distillerie Aperte, Vicenza)
• Michele Viscidi (National Grappa Consortium).

There was also an in-depth discussion on the skills and tools required to successfully launch and manage a structured hospitality offering, the subject of the round-table discussion featuring the distilleries themselves, starting with brands such as

• Antica Distilleria di Altavilla
• Berta
• Brunello
• Marzadro
• Mazzetti d’Altavilla
• Nardini
• Pilzer.

The proceedings concluded with the presentation of the quality certification for hospitality and corporate museums, an accolade for companies that have distinguished themselves in this field, which will be awarded during DISTILLO 2026, scheduled for November as part of SIMEI.